Wallflowering 101
by lilyhartsjames
Summary: An educational class on the art of being a nobody. Taught by professors Severus Snape, a bona fide outcast, and Lily Evans, an attempted nobody, students will learn the basics of an everyday wallflower! LilyJames


**1. Anybody Can Be a Nobody**

"Fourth year," said Willow Strauss.

"Fourth year," repeated Lily Evans.

They were silent for a moment, and awkward. The Hogwarts Express began to move, slowly picking up momentum; outside all of the students still on the platform hurriedly bade their families' farewell and jumped onto the train.

"Third year," said Willow casually, "was pretty okay."

"It was," Lily agreed. She nodded. "I'm looking most forward to making Prefect next year."

"I brought the yearbook," said Willow, withdrawing the heavy volume from seemingly out of nowhere.

Lily frowned and wondered how such a thick book could've fit in Willow's clothes. She hadn't seen a bulge.

"I was looking it over," Willow said, flipping through the pages. "I've been doing so since June---still haven't finished the ruddy thing."

She happened to land on a page which included random moving snapshots of groups of friends around the castle. Lily winced at the sight of the Marauders. The ever annoying James Potter made stupid faces at the camera, along with his cronies Black, Lupin and Pettigrew.

"It's a funny picture," Willow commented.

Lily scoffed.

The compartment door opened and both girls turned in their seats to see Lily's good friend Severus Snape. He was still terribly pale and terribly defensive in body language, even in stance. His thin eyes were hidden mostly behind the sheets of his lengthy black hair. Willow's eyebrows rose and she looked away as Lily smiled in welcome.

"Hello Severus," she said. "I couldn't find you on the platform."

"I was having a spot of trouble with some prats," Severus said mysteriously.

"Let me guess, were Potter and Black involved?" Lily asked knowingly.

Severus nodded his head as Willow rolled her eyes.

"What did they do _now_?" Lily demanded angrily.

"It isn't important," Severus said. He stood in the compartment door entrance for a few seconds as an awkward pause fell over the three. He couldn't quite think of anything else to say and with that, he decided he'd leave. "I'll see you," he said, turning away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Lily asked.

"I don't want to … interrupt," Severus said, eyes lingering on Willow for a second.

Lily turned to glance over her shoulder at Willow and then back at Snape. She smiled warmly. "Don't play stupid, you can sit in this compartment; all the other ones have been filled. Willow doesn't care, do you?"

"Oh, no … of course not," Willow said, her words forced.

"See, we're all friends!" Lily said happily as Severus moved to sit. "We may be a strange trio of friends, but being misfits is liberating!"

Willow merely smirked as Severus seemed to take her words seriously. Lily, she simply looked as she normally did, content.

& & & & &

"I've got to top myself," Sirius Black said to Peter Pettigrew. The two fourteen-year-olds entered the Marauder compartment to find their other friends James Potter and Remus Lupin in the midst of a game of chess. "You see, Wormy, it's expected of me. I'm Sirius fucking Black."

"Is the cursing necessary?" Remus asked, half-seriously and half-amusedly from where he sat.

"Yes, very," Sirius replied. "I'm Sirius fu-"

"No need," Remus interrupted. "I now know of your new, self-declared middle name."

"Jolly good then!" Sirius teased, grinning. He turned to look at Peter, his shaggy locks swaying with the head movement. "I'll see you later, mate. I've got to go look for Cunningham's compartment. We need to talk!"

"Right," humored James Potter, his best friend. "How naïve are we again?"

"Naïve enough not to pay good attention, Prongs," Remus said jokingly, laughing. "Checkmate."

"Oi! What the hell? How'd _that_ happen?" James stare down at the chess board in confusion.

"Didn't anyone tell you? Moony's a genius and has a brain much bigger than our little wittle ones," Sirius remarked as he walked over to the compartment door.

"Smartest thing I've heard from your mouth all day, Padfoot," Remus laughed.

"I say a lot of smart things---they're only overlooked because I'm quite barking mad. See you prats later!"

Once he was gone there was a moment's silence before James exclaimed, "No, really! What … the … hell! How'd I lose?"

& & & & &

"Well, we're getting close … I should go change into my robes," Willow said. She hopped to her feet and then picked up her folded robes. She made her way toward the door, her long and curly hair bouncing along for the ride.

Soon Lily and Severus were alone in the compartment.

"Are you looking forward to this year?" Lily asked conversationally as they passed a forest of trees outside.

Severus merely shrugged. "It'll be as it's always been, I suppose."

"That isn't a bad thing, is it?"

"For me, it means I'll spend most of my time in my dormitory reading and sleeping."

"You're welcome to come and spend breaks with me," Lily offered.

Severus seemed a little embarrassed as he took his time to reply. "I'm a Slytherin and no one thinks much of me---I'm not going to ruin your day by bothering you and the Gryffindors."

"Rubbish; if they're bothered by you or anything else so silly, I'm not going to talk to them!" Lily declared boldly.

"Don't bother, it's fine. I have purchased a lot of books at Flourish and Blots and will tide myself over with them," Severus explained coolly. He flashed what was a very rare smile to Lily. "We can partner up in Potions, though, correct?"

"Of course!" Lily said instantly. She took in a breath and sighed. "I only hope I can focus on academics and simple stuff and avoid the limelight. I really am not interested in any attention. I want to be a wallflower!"

"You'll never be, not like me," Severus said.

Lily frowned curiously, looking disappointed. "Why not? Why can't I be a wallflower?"

Severus shrugged and seemed to take a very long time to answer. He was working up every ounce of courage he possessed to give her the answer he sincerely felt was true. His pale, colorless cheeks were stained with a soft pink blush as he finally finished collecting his courage.

"You're not exactly the wallflower type. You'd have to stop the charm, stop the easy-going personality and most importantly, stop being pretty and start being plain," Severus said, embarrassed.

Lily blushed herself. "Nonsense. That isn't true. I'm a nobody. No one pays any mind to me. Anybody can be a nobody. _I'm _a nobody."

Severus only wished she realized how untrue her words were.

& & & & &

"How was your lovely visit to the toilet, Peter?" James asked pleasantly. "Meet anyone interesting? Or should I say, meet anything interesting? Make a new friend, did you? Too bad you had to flush and say goodbye."

"Prongs!" Remus exclaimed. "That's disgusting!"

But none of the three could help it, they all erupted in laughter as Peter took his seat across from the other two. Sirius had yet to return and though he was gone from the infamous Marauder compartment, things were beginning to fall into place and feel normal again. The three all looked the same, for the most part---Peter was still short and pudgy; Remus was still as cool and collected as always, only he had managed to grow an inch or two; and James was as unruly-haired, short and arrogant as ever.

"We're going to be getting to Hogwarts soon," James observed, checking the window.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Peter said, snapping his fingers. "James, I saw Lily---she was in a compartment with ol' Snape. They were talking closely and seemed awfully chummy!"

"Damn him!" James said straightaway, annoyed.

"They're friends," Remus said, "leave them be."

"He doesn't have a right to be her friend," James said. "Or anyone's for that matter. We need to buy him a toad, you know, give him a friend. Wormtail, I think it's time you said goodbye to Tad."

"No way!" Peter protested. "I bought him a little bed to sleep in this year; he's going to like it very much."

James's eyebrows rose in disbelief. He looked at Moony, who shrugged and stared out the window, and then he looked back to Peter. "He's a bleeding toad, Peter, a toad. He doesn't need a bed."

"Yes, he does! He needs comfort as much as we do! Besides, he has back problems," Peter said meekly, flushing red.

"_You've_ got head problems," James retorted.

The compartment door opened and in came Sirius, looking smug. The three all exchanged glances and then waited patiently for Sirius to spill what had happened. Only, he didn't; he walked over to the seat next to Peter and sat down, beaming from ear-to-ear.

"Well?" James prompted.

"Well what?" Sirius said.

"Did you find Cunningham?" Peter asked.

"Did you _talk_?" Remus asked, amused.

"Oh, we talked. We talked … a lot," Sirius said mysteriously, gray eyes twinkling. He looked amused himself.

"You better bloody spill your guts out with detail," James demanded. "It's only fair."

"I don't talk and tell," Sirius said, releasing a deep laugh.

"What did you two talk about?" Peter asked interestedly.

"Err, Peter," Remus said slowly, only to be cut off.

"I'm not saying anything else," Sirius said. "It was a wonderful meeting full of nice conversation, I'm telling you."

"Oh, shut up!" James snapped grumpily.

"Was it a club meeting?" Peter asked.

James gaped incredulously at Peter and growled, "For Merlin's sake, Peter, there was no stupid club meeting!"

"Then what kind of a meeting was it?" Peter asked.

Sirius only laughed as both James and Remus went from mild incredulity to full on disbelief. Peter was left to be clueless.

& & & & &

Fourth year was different from the previous three. As to be expected, the classes were harder and more challenging, but that was where the expectations ended. Much to Lily's surprise, everyone in her year seemed much too keen to grow up, to be more "mature", and to change. It was almost as if they were all delusional and believed their age to be seventeen. But they weren't, they were all fourteen and barely in fourth year. She found herself constantly wondering if she were the only one content with acting her age.

She constantly found herself ousted of the Gryffindor girl fourth year dormitory conversation, because the other four all seemed to want to talk about nothing but boys and their looks. They were all obsessed with the boys they deemed attractive, and they never seemed to stop fixing their hair, staring at themselves in the vanity mirror, or exchanging make up tips.

Meanwhile, Lily remained in her little corner of a bed with her books and her hair in a sloppy bun, and wrote constant letters to Snape; she had her tiny pet owl, Aeris, deliver the letters for her, and within minutes she'd have a reply from him. She would usually smile when reading his responses and eagerly write another one herself.

She tried her very best to stray away from any limelight. She was truly becoming a wallflower. She dressed in the baggiest sets of uniform and robes, and she never left her hair as sweet-smelling and wavy as before; she mostly tied it back in a messy ponytail. Most importantly, she had taken to wearing her reading glasses around the castle quite often, rather than only wearing them when she was studying in the library. Her attempts worked quite well … at first.

"Hey Evans," said James Potter one day after Charms as everyone rushed out of the classroom and into the hall.

"What do you want, Potter?" Lily asked.

"Do you want to come and hang out with us underneath our beech tree?" James asked.

"No."

"That was quick!"

"Yeah, automatic response when it comes to you," Lily remarked curtly.

"Okay then. Does that mean you don't fancy me?"

"No." She stopped walking. "Wait, that's not what I—"

"—YES!" James cheered, clapping and jumping, even whooping at the air. He was making quite the scene as he celebrated in a circle around Lily; she turned on the spot, watching him surround her in annoyance. "YES! Did you hear that?" James shouted to some shy second year in passing. "DID YOU HEAR THAT?" he shouted again at the small boy. "Lily Evans fancies me!"

"No!" Lily said. "No, I don't!"

"LILY EVANS FANCIES ME!" James yelled loudly to the hallway and immediately there was some chatter about it from those passing by.

"POTTER!" Lily screamed herself. "NO!"

"I'm so happy, Lily, I'm going to go and write mum. I'm going to tell her and she'll be pleased she was right---you would notice me one day! All of those wishes on those birthday cake candles worked! My life dream has come true; we're going to get married, watch!" James said noisily.

"Potter, shut up," Lily snapped. "I know you're mocking me by now. Act's over, stop talking so loud."

James collapsed in laughter and then ended up shrugging once he regained himself.

"I couldn't help it, I thought it was creative," he said.

"Well, I thought it was rather stupid of you," Lily said coldly.

"It was a joke," James said, the amusement dying from his facial expression.

"I suppose I have a rather boring sense of humor then," Lily said.

"Yeah, actually, you do." James seemed irritated.

"Then leave me alone!"

"No, only because I know that's what you want," James said. He winked and grinned, obviously to get a rise out of her. "See you in Potions."

He turned and walked away, causing Lily to writhe in annoyance and anger. She hugged her books to her chest, shook her head vigorously, and stomped away, purposely in the opposite direction Potter had gone.

She turned a corner only to run into Willow and some others.

"Lily," Willow said happily, "we're off to the Great Hall for lunch---come with!"

Lily could hardly get a word in as she was led away by the arm by Willow. She was grateful for some light conversation from Willow and the others; after running into Potter, she needed to be cheered up. Only, Lily forgot that she had promised to spend the lunch period with Severus in the library.

& & & & &

Everyone filed into the Potions dungeon with dispirited footsteps and took their seats at the tables. The Marauders entered and headed straight for the back of the classroom, for the very far table they usually always occupied. Willow and Lily entered together, talking avidly, and it was then when Lily's bright green eyes landed on Snape sitting alone at a table did she remember what she had forgotten. She clapped a hand to her forehead and hurried over to the table.

"Sev, I'm sorry," she apologized. "I completely forgot about meeting in the library!"

Snape was sitting with his arms folded and his greasy blankets of hair covering a good portion of his face. He looked up at Lily and met her eyes, the look in them discernable. Lily's heart ached in guilt and the weight of it showed in her face.

"I'm sure you have a good reason," Severus said finally. "I was fine. I read. I didn't mind."

"I was a bit upset," Lily explained as Willow joined the table. "I'll tell you why later; I'll write you about it."

Severus nodded. Lily took the seat next to him just as Professor Horace Slughorn entered the dungeon, blinking around lazily. He was dressed in satin robes and slippers, carrying an expensive silver goblet in one hand. His thick, smooth beard seemed longer than it had two days ago.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gents," he greeted.

The class met his reply with a toneless 'good afternoon' of their own.

He stopped at the front of the dreary room and took a great sip of his goblet. He took his time in swallowing and pausing before setting down the goblet onto his desk. Professor Slughorn hardly seemed to be in as good of a mood as he normally was.

"I don't have many tales to tell you this afternoon, I must confess," he admitted. He shrugged his shoulders and walked around to the front of his desk. "I received another shipment of fine satin robes and slippers from Opus Inklet, Editor of the _Daily Prophet_; I'm wearing them now and they're quite fine. Other than that, I have nothing to tell."

Much of the room looked terribly relieved, and that was because Slughorn usually graced them with his boring tales of how respected and adored he was for at least the first thirty minutes of every class. At least that bright, breezy September Tuesday would be a bit different.

"Before we get started on today's work, I want to give some special mentions," Slughorn said. "The Slug Club has started up again and I've inducted a few new members of your class, as well as welcoming the same old veterans from previous school years back into the club!"

His words were met with a mixed reaction. A good deal of the students sitting at the tables of four looked excited and hopeful, wondering if they were to be the new students inducted into the prestigious club. Others looked pessimistic and indifferent, knowing they were in no way to be invited, and the very few left were expectant of their already established membership in the club.

"I'm welcoming Peter Pettigrew into the Slug Club," said Slughorn proudly, holding out his arms and giving a hearty clap for Peter; the room followed in his lead. "For the simple fact that, despite hanging around three boys' superior in many ways, he is finally coming into his own! I admire some moxie and you've certainly shown that in your prankster attitude last school year."

In the back of the room, Peter looked both pleased and embarrassed as Sirius and James cheered him on, but also wasted no time in teasing him. Remus sat at the very edge of the table and applauded.

"Next, I'm inviting Faye Bellkin into the club, simply because she did a fantastic job as chaser on the Gryffindor team! Of course, I am and always will be a Slytherin man," Slughorn added hurriedly as the Slytherin students made faces of displeasure. Nevertheless, most of the dungeon applauded Faye, who wouldn't stop beaming. "And, as always, I welcome back some of the veterans. What would the club be without sly, quick-witted Lucius Malfoy or snarky little Bethany Parkinson?"

The Slytherins in the room, sans Severus, cheered on the two mentions of their fellow house mates. Lucius Malfoy, sitting in the very middle of the room with his sleek white-blonde hair and cold gray eyes, merely gave a small smirk. Sitting right beside him, Bethany shook her head and glanced around conceitedly.

"Oh, and how could I forget to mention the returning Remus Lupin; academic genius knows no bounds for Mr. Lupin! And Sirius Black," Slughorn said with a small chuckle. It was a chuckle similar to that of a proud father for his son. "Sirius Black can charm the Galleons off of any witch … or wizard for that matter!"

A few giggles erupted from a number of the girls in the dungeon, and several of them peeked over their shoulder in Sirius' direction; Sirius sat back in his chair, grinning coolly, and waved jokingly at one or two of them.

"James Potter, do I even need to remind you of your return? With brilliant leadership and Quidditch star power, it wouldn't be _the_ club without you!" Slughorn said cheerfully as most applauded James. Slughorn paced a little in front of his desk before coming to a stop right in front of the table where Lily was seated. "And last but certainly by no means least, there's Lily Evans! What else is there to say but her name? That speaks volumes for itself!"

Lily found herself slumping into her chair as the attention of the entire dungeon was thrown onto her. She could feel the skin on her face burning as it reddened and she could hardly bare to meet the triumphant, gleeful gaze of Slughorn. She didn't want the attention; she really wished he'd leave her be.

"Moving on," Slughorn said with a clear of his throat. "Today we will begin our lesson on … antidotes!"

"Why won't he leave me alone?" Lily muttered under her breath.

Severus shrugged, an odd edge to his tone of voice. "It's obvious."

Lily sighed.

& & & & &

As much as she tried, Lily found herself relating to Severus less and less. With the school work harder than ever, it was also harder for her to find time to spend with him, and when she did find the time, she didn't like what she saw; Severus, like everyone around her, seemed to be in a state of change. He was withdrawing from everyone and everything, immersing himself in reading books instead. In class he shied away from even her and was hardly conversational when she spoke to him. She found herself unable to understand him for the first time in their friendship.

At times he seemed utterly annoyed with the people whom she spoke with, and though she tried to give him equal time, there was some sort of unspoken resentment he held against her. He grew jealous easily, too, over any other friendship she had.

"I don't have much of a problem if you want to spend your time with Willow," he said distantly.

"But we almost always spend the first class break of Thursday together!" Lily said slowly.

"I have reading to do and there's a load of people who would like your attention," he told her.

Lily stared at him confusedly. "Why are you being such a prat?"

"I'm not; I'm not going to compete with the others, with Perry Boot or Remus Lupin."

"Are you jealous?"

Severus's eyes snapped up from the text of his book and onto her face. There were strands of hair falling over his face, like a curtain with slits between them. He gave her a piercing gaze, his lips thinning and his fingers curling over the page of the book; she simply stared back, expectant and waiting for an answer.

"No," he said finally, hoarsely. He clapped shut the book and stood, collecting his things in several swift motions. He avoided her eyes as he did so before hurrying away from the library table and then the library altogether. As he exited, he ran right into Remus Lupin, who was with James and Peter.

"Oi!" James called after his retreating form. "You had better apologize tomorrow for that, hook nose greaseball!"

"He appeared upset," Remus observed rationally. "He was probably just in a rush to get away."

"Upset or not, he's a rude git," Potter was saying as they walked past Madam Pince's desk. It was then that James spotted Lily sitting alone at a table, looking nearly as upset as Snape. He stopped in front of the table as the other two passed. "What did Snape do now?" he asked nosily.

"None of your business, Potter," Lily snarled.

"I don't care," James said. He took it upon himself to take the seat Snape had been sitting in. He leaned across the table, in an effort to speak closely to Lily, and said, "He's a ruddy weird git. You shouldn't talk to him."

"No, wrong; I shouldn't talk to you, and I'm not going to," Lily said right away.

"Well, it's obvious you have a thing for disturbed blokes then," James said.

"Disturbed?"

"Yeah."

"Potter, you have some nerve!" Lily said furiously, scowling. "You do not know a single thing about Severus and I would like if you'd stop taking humor from his life!"

"Look, Evans, Snape has a deep, growing love for the Dark Arts. You're not going to change that; you can't change him. If you think you're going to be able to, you're naïve. What's happening now between you two, was always written to happen. No way around it, Evans," James explained, shrugging.

Lily didn't say a word. She remained still and found herself staring off in the very distance, in the direction where the library windows were, that overlooked the Herbology greenhouses and a small courtyard. She could not help but wonder if he were right, if Potter's words did have some weight of truth to them. She released a shaky sigh and took off her glasses. She felt tired and exhausted, and her eyes were itching.

"Why do you wear those all of the time?" James asked curiously.

"I want to! Merlin, Potter, why do you have to question me on everything?"

"I told you, I'm a curious little wizard. Besides, I only asked because I wanted to hear the answer straight from your mouth," James said nonchalantly. "I already know the answer; I wanted to hear you admit it is all."

"Admit what?"

"Your attempts of being a nobody are miserable, Evans," James said with amusement.

"Oh really?" she challenged stubbornly.

"Yeah."

"How do you figure?"

James sat back in the chair and shrugged. "I still notice you."

Lily didn't know what to say. She stared across the table at Potter, her thoughts a muddled mess. Finally, she looked away and realized her silence admitted defeat.

"You know, I don't think you give me enough credit," James said. "Even if a part of you fancies me."

She couldn't hold back any longer. Her immediate reaction was shock and annoyance. "What? Potter, you're mad and arrogant and stupid!"

"Oh, _c'mon_, Evans. It's true!" James said, smirking. "Why don't you give me a chance? I think it's a brilliant idea."

"No!"

"Why not? Because you're too stubborn?"

"Because I don't fancy you and I never will! I'm going," Lily said coldly. She grabbed her book bag and rose to her feet. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she picked up her glasses and placed them back onto her face. "See you, Potter."

"Evans, we have chemistry!"

"Potter, go away!" She walked around the table and started for the exit.

James jumped to his feet and followed. "We're like Potions' ingredients, you know, me and you!"

"What? That's insane!"

"The right fit, the right potion! It's scientific magic---proven in the Potions' books! You of all people can't dispute the facts, Evans!"

Lily stopped right outside of the library exit, turning to face him, surprisingly enough with a smile on her face.

"Potter, you're such a prat."

"Prat plus wallflower equals love potion!"

"Potter!"

"Evans!"

"What?"

"Go out with me," James said, grinning convincingly. "I'll carry your books, I'll open your doors, I'll-I'll braid dear ol' Severus's hair!"

Lily, despite herself, laughed. Immediately afterward, the stubborn half of her hated that she had.

"Evans, _Lily_, every man deserves his chance!"

Sighing, she shook her head. "All right, one chance, Potter. I'm mostly giving you this said chance to get you to shut up about me once our date is over."

"All right! You are the greatest," James said happily. He was genuinely ecstatic as he rushed past her, only to return a second later to kiss her on the cheek from behind. She could hear his footsteps all the way up the nearby staircase and she assumed he was going to go tell Sirius.

Lily smiled to herself as her cheeks were painted a pink. She found herself a bit excited and optimistic that perhaps, maybe Potter would prove to be a decent bloke after all. As she walked away from the hall by herself, seconds later, she brought her hand to her cheek to touch the spot where he had kissed her; she smiled again, privately.

& & & & &

**Update coming soon, so hang on for it! And review now, please!**


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